Dozens of concerned community members of Whitehall, teachers and parents among them, converged on the high school Monday for the monthly Board of Education meeting.

If their intent was to riot and demand action of the board to implement preventive measures regarding active shooters, they never got a chance – school superintendent Patrick Dee beat them to it.

“I thought it would be wise to share with the board and the community the proactive steps the district has taken in the past year and a half,” Dee said. “Our first priority is keeping our students safe.”

Dee delivered a 10-minute presentation outlining the protective measures Whitehall Central School has in place and what steps would be taken in the future.

Some of the initiatives Dee cited: Hiring a social worker two days per week; completing a minimum of two lockdown drills per year; distribution of updated quick response cards to faculty members; installation of exterior and interior cameras throughout the campus; alarming all exterior doors and having only one point of entry throughout the day.

Dee also explained to the gathered parents why Whitehall does not have a school resource officer.

This is only a preview of the story published in the Whitehall Times. To read the full story, pick up a print copy of this week’s paper at the newsstand or read it online here.